Extensive glomus tympanicum mimicking chronic granulomatous otitis media

Glomus tympanicum, a hypervascular tumor in the middle ear, is usually suspected based on pulsatile tinnitus and retrotympanic reddish mass on otoscopic examination. These hallmarks may be masked by other middle ear diseases. Herein, we report an unusual case of the extensive glomus tympanicum masqueraded as chronic granulomatous otitis media, which was extirpated without preoperative embolization via canal wall-down mastoidectomy approach with piecemeal adrenaline-soaked cotton pledgets wrapping and compression under controlled hypotension intraoperatively, producing minimal blood loss. There was no significant intraoperative complication and no evidence of recurrence over 1 year of follow-up. Copyright 2005